It is in a cat’s nature to scratch or claw at just about everything. A cat scratches for two main reasons: to mark his territory and to file his long nails down by removing outer layers. A way to get your cat to stop scratching your furniture and doors is to provide him with one or two nice scratching posts.
A post will provide your cat with a proper outlet to file his nails down. He may also take to marking the post instead of your furniture when he realizes that he doesn’t get upset when he scratches the post, but encourage it instead! A good way to encourage your cat to use a post is to sprinkle or rub catnip into the post. The cat will be lured to scratch at it to get at the catnip.
A good post is tall and sturdy, so that your cat can latch on and scratch away to his heart’s content. A good minimum height is about 20 inches, so that he can get a full stretch. This stretching capability is also good for his muscles. It must be able to withstand his full weight, as sometimes cats will jump on during a particularly enjoyable scratching session. A base should be square, sturdy, and large. The sides of the square base should measure around 10 inches to assure against the cat furniture wobbling and tilting over.
A good and sturdy material used on many scratching posts is woven sisal. It can withstand your cat’s scratches and attention for months and maybe even years without looking frayed and ratty. You can find cat furniture available in several colors, so you can find one that matches your home’s décor or perhaps your pet’s favorite piece of scratching furniture!
You can find an outlet for your cat’s scratching at any pet store that sells cat supplies, at large stores, or online at stores like Amazon.com, and even at some grocery stores in their pet sections. Prices of the posts vary, based on the size and manufacturer of the posts. You can find decent scratching posts for your cat for about $20-$30. If you are interested in a deluxe item, you can buy one that includes a jungle gym of sorts for your cat for around $350!